Two Sangguniang Kabataan chairpersons in Makati City are facing criminal complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman after the Department of the Interior and Local Government uncovered separate cases of bribery, falsified public documents, and abuse of position in their respective barangays.
The DILG is set to transmit case documents to the Ombudsman within the week, with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla saying charges could eventually land before the Sandiganbayan if probable cause is established.
In Barangay Magallanes Village, SK Chair Cecillia Louise Yabut came under scrutiny after procurement documents tied to a Halloween project surfaced bearing the signature of Kagawad Ethan Sun—who, records showed, was outside the country on 14 October 2025, the date the papers were signed. A deeper review of the same documents turned up two more forged signatures from other barangay kagawads. When confronted, Yabut acknowledged that Sun had not personally signed but argued that his “statement” was enough to authorize the signature being placed on the documents—and that the practice was commonplace. The Makati Sangguniang Panlungsod disagreed, finding her guilty of misconduct and handing down a three-month suspension on 6 April. The DILG will pursue criminal falsification charges against Yabut and SK treasurer Mapoy in connection with the purchase request and SK resolution at the center of the case.
In Barangay Dasmariñas Village, the DILG is moving against SK Chair Natalia Georgina Tupaz on charges of direct bribery, violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or RA 3019, and falsification of public documents. Tupaz allegedly demanded a 20 percent kickback from GM BC Catering and Services, a long-standing barangay supplier. The supplier, Ms. Racasa, reported the solicitation to the Bids and Awards Committee, which directed her to get the demand on record—leading to confirmation via Viber and a phone call. In one of those exchanges, Tupaz reportedly said, “Yan ang standardized sa aming council,” before settling on a P70,000 cut. A separate incident involved a forged signature on an SK resolution: Tupaz allegedly instructed the sibling of her SK secretary—who was away—to sign in the secretary’s name. Administrative complaints filed by the Dasmariñas BAC before the Makati SP resulted in a six-month suspension.
Remulla did not hold back in his assessment of both cases. “Ang nakakainis dito, mayaman na ang mga ‘to—gusto pang magpayaman gamit ang pera ng gobyerno,” he said.
A statement attributed to Abalos also weighed in on the broader message the cases were meant to send. “This should serve as a lesson,” he said. “Bata pa lang ang SK, dapat matuto na silang tumupad sa kanilang tungkulin at huwag gamitin ang posisyon para sa koropsiyon.”
